Rising political star Ben Carson opened Friday night's Western Conservative Summit in Denver by saying that "Republicans, Democrats, people of faith and people of common sense" must start working together.

"Our country is in a lot of trouble," the retired neurosurgeon said in the summit's keynote address. "It's really in critical condition."

He urged fellow conservatives to stick together and stop parsing out "Republicans as RINOs," a reference to Republicans in name only.

The annual convergence brings together more than 2,500 conservative "delegates," many with Tea Party ties, to hear from stars of the political right such as Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Ted Cruz and Allen West.

The Denver Dance group The Silhouettes performed as the Western Conservative Summit kicked off Friday night, July 18, 2014 in Denver. The weekend gathering of conservative voters heard remarks from Jindal, Utah Senator Mike Lee and Dr. Ben Carson Friday night. (Karl Gehring, The Denver Post)

In its fifth year in Denver, the summit continues to gain stature as a national event for Republicans to address the party's base and raise ideological spirits.

The event, which runs through Sunday, features about 20 speakers and 30 workshops on such conservative values and strategies as "How Culture Drives Politics," led by Ralph Reed, and a Sunday morning panel called "Which Way, Millennials? Left or Right?"

The summit, held at the Hyatt Regency and Colorado Convention Center, culminates Sunday with a straw poll to gauge attendees' early choices for a 2016 presidential nominee.

Despite a lineup of famous names, the most celebrated attendee this year could be Carson, said John Andrews, the former Colorado state senator, Richard Nixon speechwriter and founder of the sponsoring Centennial Institute in Lakewood.

At a later conservative conference, Carson, who is African-American, called the Affordable Care Act "the worst thing that has happened in this nation since slavery."

On Thursday, the Washington Times reported that a Draft Ben Carson for President Committee raised about $3.4 million in the last quarter, while the Democratic Ready for Hillary PAC raised $2.5 million.

On Friday, Carson's prepared remarks were titled "Now Is the Time." He was preceded by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Utah Sen. Mike Lee.

Palin is expected to address the summit Saturday afternoon. Her address is titled "Seize the Day."

Earlier this month, the former Alaska governor and vice presidential pick in 2008 called for Obama's impeachment in a column on a conservative website because of his immigration policy.

"President Obama's rewarding of lawlessness, including his own, is the foundational problem here," according to the column, which appeared on Breitbart.com.

Bachmann is scheduled to appear at the summit's "Gold Banquet" later Saturday afternoon.

A few tickets were still available online Friday afternoon, but summit spokesman Z. James Czupor said the event is expected to sell out at 3,000 delegates. Admission fees range from $55 for people younger than 30 to $650 for full access to all events and speakers.

Although Beauprez did not tout his own candidacy, he hit on his campaign talking point of replacing weak leadership, which he has leveled at incumbent John Hickenlooper.

"Leaders and leadership matter," he told the crowd in the Bellco Theatre. "(Leaders) are willing to deal with reality as reality is dealt to you and make a decision."

U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner, a candidate in the Senate race against Mark Udall, welcomed guests to the Friday evening session.

"You're going to hear from people this weekend who recognize Colorado is the epicenter of freedom, our future and what we know we can do to take our country back," Gardner said.

The GOP candidate running to replace Gardner in the House, Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck, is scheduled to introduce conservative radio host Dennis Prager on Saturday night, according to summit organizers.

Rockies relief pitcher John Axford, who hasn't pitched for the team since last Wednesday, was forced to leave spring training camp after his 2-year-old son was bit by a rattlesnake twice in his right foot.

One-day event to run slide down University HillIt's not quite the alternative mode of transportation that Boulder's used to, but, for one day this summer, residents will be able to traverse several city blocks atop inflatable tubes.

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